Grinding-mill.



J. BERCHA.

GRINDING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1909.

942,768. Patented Dec. 7. 1909 2 SHEBTs-SHEET 1 nmmtoz wi (Me-aces J.BBROHA.

GRINDING MILL.

APPLIOATIOR' FILED HAY 4. 1909. 942,768. Patented Dec. 7. 1909.

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' enacting grinding ro the drawings, 1 designates JOSEPH BERCHA, OFBEATRICE, NEBRASKA.

GRINDING-MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

Application filed May 4, 1909. Serial No. 493,860.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr BERCHA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beatrice, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Grinding-Mills, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for crushing andgrinding grain, the main object of the invention being to provide aconstruction of machine whereby the rapid and effective winding of grainmay be effected without 0 ogging or heating of the grain durin theprocess of grinding, to rovide means or rinding either coarse or nograin to a suita le de rec of fineness, and to mount the grindin eements in such manner as to permit of their ready adjustment for a fineor coarse action, to prevent their injur b excess adjustmentor thepassage of oreign particles throu h the machine, and to provide for thereacfy removal and replacement of worn out parts without the removal ofparts which are still good for service.

A further object of the invention is to )rovide a construction ofgrinding mechanism by which two or more different kinds of grain may beout admixture thereof, and to provide a crushing attachment for the millby which car or head corn and bulky or unshelled grains may be reducedto a suitably comminuted condition prior to grinding, such attachmentbeing susceptible of removal from the machine when its use is notreuired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, combination and arran ement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectionthroughthe machine taken on the line of the operating shafts. Fig. 2 is asimilar section taken at right angles to the plane of section of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hanger arm and the concave sectionssupported thereby, the latter being removed therefrom. Fig. 4 is apierspective view of the Referring to the frame of the machine, on whichis supground simultaneously withported a casing 2 divided by a centralvertical partition 3 into counterpart vertical chambers or compartments4 and 5 open at their upper ends for the feed of the grain thereto, andeach provided with an outwardly and downwardly curved lower endterminating ina discharge spout or outlet 6 for the ground grain.

Arranged vertically within the rear of each chamber or compartment is abracket or hanger arm 7 having an outwardl curved end 8 and provided atits upper on with a hooked portion 9,which projects outwardly through aslot 10 in the up er rear wall of the casing and forms a guide engagingsaid wall. To the outer or depending portion of this hook is ivotallymounted at its upper end an a justing screw 11 passing downwardl throu han openin in a guide leg 12 an provi ed above an below the same withhand nuts 13 and 14 by which said screw may be respectively raised andlowered to correspondingly adjust the bracket arm.

The lower curved end of the bracket arm is formed with a concaved seat15 separated into upper and lower portions by a transverse recess 16 andhaving at its lower end a transverse hearing or stop shoulder 17. Thisseat is adapted to receive and support a grinding concave composed ofupper and ower sections 18 and 19, the upper section being adapted tooccupy the upper ortion of the seat and bear against a shou der 20 atthe upper end thereof, while the lower section 18 is adapted to occupythe lower portion of the seat between the lower edg of said uppersection and the shoulder 1 The section 19 is clamped in position by thesection 1 8, which latter is formed on its under side with a transverserib 21 to fit within the recess 16 and is provided with acountersunkopening 22 for the passage of a screw or rivet 23, which is also adaptedto pass through an opening 24 in the bracket arm to secure said upperconcave section in position.

A drive shaft 25 extends throulggi (prenings in the partition and sidewe o the compartments and is journaled in suitable bearm 26 providedupon said walls. One end 0 this shaft carries a fly wheel pulle 27 bywhich the motion of the shaft 18 ba anced and to which power may becommuni- :Lured thereby as well as to cushion an cated from a drive beltleading from a suitable motor. Mounted on this shaft within eachcompartment. is a gri iding roll or bur 28 arranged opposite the concavein the throat or passage between the lower end of the compartment andits discharge spout 6 and properly disposed with reference to theconcave for the passage between them of the grain to be ground. Theacting surfaces of the concave sections and the periphery of the rollare provided with grinding faces of zigzag construction, such asdisclosed in the patent to Bercha and Chapman, #689,034, dated December17, 1901 in order to revent undue spreading of the grain and c oggingand heating 0 the grain during the grinding action.

The concave is adjustable with relation to the bur both vertically andradially in order to regulate the size of the intervening grain passageand to dispose the grindin surfaces in pro er relation for a coarse, neor interme iate grinding action. The vertical adjustment is effected bymeans of the screw 11 and hand nuts 13 and 14, by which the distancebetween the grinding surfaces may be regulated in an obvious'manner. Inorder to limit the downward vertical adjustment of the concave anangular stop bracket 27 is detachably and adjustably secured to thelower wall of the outlet 6 by a screw 30, which screw passes through aslot 31 in said late, and an angular washer 32 is clamped y the head ofthe screw'against the body of the bracket and bears against the u turnedflange thereof to prevent indepen ent pivotal movement of said bracket.The upward vertical adjustment of the concave is limited by anadjustable stop screw 33 mounted upon a detachable chamber 34 secured uon the top of the casing by bolts 35, the racket/and screw serving tolimit the adjustment of the concave in either direction beyondpredetermined degrees so as to prevent possi lecontact between andinjury to the grinding surfaces. The bracket arm is pivotally supportedin the manner 1 described for a yie ng movement of the concave towardand from the'bur, and this yielding movement is cushioned and limited bya coiled spring 36 extending through an opening in 9. 0s 37 said openinghaving its outer end internall threaded to receive a screw plug 38 by wich the ressure of the spring may be regulated. his 5 rin allows theconcave to yield outwardly from the bur when a nut nail or other hardforeign object mingled with the grain is encountered, thus reventing thegrinding surfaces of the rol i and concave from bein in te. e up allshoc s and jars from the sudden backward movement of the concave underconditions.

Arranged above and in parallel relation with the shaft 25 is acountershaft 39 which extends throu h openings in the oartition andsidesof tiie compartments an is journaled in suitable bearings 40 andprovided at one end with an internal gear 41 meshing with a pinion 42 onthe end of the shaft 25 opposite the pulley 27, by which saidcountershaft is driven from the drive shaft. Keyed upon the countershaftwithin each chamber or compartment is a rotary force feed device 43provided with toothed arms 44 at diametrically opposite sides thereof toengage and force the rain down to the concave and grinding ro l, bywhich the material is fe to the grinding devices in an effective mannerand banking of the same above the roll revented. Within the upperportion of each compartment is mounted. a sliding valve or plate 45 tocontrol the feed of grain thereto, said late being movable outwardlythrough a s ot 46 in the front wall of the compartment and held inadjusted position by a set screw 47.

The detachable top casing 34 supports contained means for preliminarilygrinding ear or head corn or other bulky and unshelled grains too largeor coarse to be ground without reduction between the grindmg roll andconcave. This casing is adapted to receive and support a sheet metalhopper 48 into which the material to be crushed and round is introduced.Secured by bolts or ot ierwise to the front and rear walls of the casing34 are opposite sets of stationary crushing devices 49 and 50, the onehaving a concave and the other a convex body por tion or surface, androvided respectively with sets of spaced r1 s 51 and 52 against andbetween which the material is crushed by the action of a crushin rollhereinafter described. The lower end of the crushing device 49terminates in a bar 53 extending across the outlet at the lower end ofthe easing 34 to divide the dischargin crushed material into two streamsfor feed into the grinder casing 2, by which the material is reventedfrom chokin in said outlet, and between this bar and tie concaved bodyof the device 49 slots 54 are also formed for the downward feed of thecrushed material.

The side walls of. the casing 34 are provided with bearings 55 for ashaft 56 w iich is provided at one end with a gear 57 meshing with agear 58 on the countershaft 39. b -which the shaft 56 is driven. On saids aft 56 within the crusher chamber is rigidly mounted a rotatincrushing roll 59 provided with annular ongitudinal series of crushingteeth or blades 60 arranged for movement in the rotation of the rollsbetween the crushing flanges of the concavcs or breaker plates 49 and50, by which the corn or other material willbe loosened up,

carried downward and crushed or disintegrated between the teeth andflanges and surfaces of said breaker plates.

In practice, the grinding roll is rotated by the shaft 25 at a desiredhigh rate of speed, while the gearing between said shaft and thecounter-shaft is roportioned to retate the feeder 44 at a out one-thirdthe rate of speed of the grinding roll, while the gears 57 and 58 areproportioned to drive the crushing roll at a still slower rate of speed,so that a proper amount of material may be fed to the grinding roll andan excess feed prevented. I

When it is not desired to use the crushing attachment, this part of thedlevice may be removed by detaching the bol s 35 and the grain may befed directly into the compartments 4 and 5 or into any suitable type ofho per applied in lieu of the crushing attac ent.

It will be manifest from the foregoing descri tion that different kindsof grain may be ed into the compartments and ground simultaneouslywithout admixture, and in practice any desired number of compartmentsand sets of grinding and coacting feed de'vices run be employed.

Having thus ully described the invention, what is claimed as new, is1- 1. In a grinding apparatus the combination of a casing having a slotin the upper end thereof, a grinding roll in the lower portion of saidcasing, a vertical bracket arm having a curved lower end partiallysurrounding the roll and a projection at its upper end extendingexteriorly through said slot, a concave carried by the curved lower endof the arm, an adjustable support on the exterior of the casing to whichsaid projection is pivotally connected, and a spring upon the casingyieldingly backing the curved end of the arm.

2. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of a casing, a grinding rollat the lower end of the casing, a bracket arm extending verticallywithin the casing having a curved lower end carrying a concave arran dadjaccnt the roll, a vertically ad'ustab e support pivotally connectedwith t e upper end of the arm, a spring upon the casing an yieldinglybacking the curved end of the arm, and an adjustable stop for limitingthe upward vertical adjustment of the arm, and an adjustable stop forlimiting the downward vertical adjustment of the arm.

3. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of a casing having a slot atthe u per end thereof, a grinding roll journale in said casing, abracket arm vertically arranged within the casing and having alower-curved end carrying a concave for coaption with the roll andprovided at its upend with a projection extending through said slot, ascrew stem su ported exteriorly of the casing and pivotal y connectedwith said rejection, adjusting nuts for raising and owering said stem,and a sprin arranged upon the casing and yieldingly backing the curvedend of the bracket.

4. Ina grinding apparatus, the combination of a casing having a endthereof, a grinding roll within the easing, a vertically disposedbracket arm within the casing having a lower curved end partiallysurrounding the roll and having a projection at its upper end ext/en ingthrou h said slot, a concave carried by the curve end of the arm, anadjustable support upon the exterior of the casing pivotally connectedwith said projection, a concave carried by the curved end of the arm,adjustable stops engaging the upper and lower ends of the arm orlimiting the vertical movements thereof, a spring upon the casingyieldingly backing the curved end of the arm, and means for varying thetension of said spring.

5. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of a casing having a slottherein, a grinding roll within the casing, a vertical bracket armwithin the casing having a lower curved end partially surrounding theroll and having a projection at its up er end extending outwardlythrough said s ot, a sectional concave carried by the curved end of thearm, a bracket on the exterior of the casing, a threaded rod carried bythe bracket and pivotally connected with said rojection, nuts upon saidrod above and be ow the bracket for vertically adjusting the rod, aspring upon the casing yieldingly backing the curved end of the arm,means for regulating the resistance of said spring, and adjustable stopsengaging the upper and lower ends of the arm for limiting the verticalmovements thereof.

6. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of a casing, a grinding rolljournaled horizontally therein, a vertically arranged bracket arm havinga curved lower end partially surrounding the roll and provided with agrooved seat, a concave composed of sections detachably secured in saidseat, means for yieldingly backing the curved end of the bracket arm,and means pivotally connecting the upper end of said arm to the casing,said means embodying means for ad justing the arm in a vertical plane.

7. In a grinding apparatus, the combina: tion of a casing, a grindingroll therein, a bracket arm having a grooved lower end, means forpivotally supporting said bracket arm, means for verticall adjusting thesame, a concave detach bly fitted in the grooved portion of the arm, andmeans for yieldingly backing the arm. i 8. In a grinding apparatus,

the combinaslot in the upper,

' having a concaved tion of a casing, grinding mechanism therein. spacedparallel stationary breaking de- Vices" within the casing above saidgrinding mechanism, one of said breaking devices body portion providedwith spaced breaking flanges and the other having a convex body portionprovided with oppositely arranged spaced breaking flanges, and a rotarycrusher arranged between said breakin with fingers movab e between theflanges thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH BERCHA. Witnesses E. G. DRAKE, JOHN MCCREA.

devices and provided 10

